Trophy double for Dacorum & Tring Road Runners at The Pednor 10

A team of 21 Dacorum and Tring Road Runners headed to Chesham on Sunday to fight the Christmas calories and to compete in The Pednor 10.

This is a 10-mile road race through undulating country lanes and consists of two 5-mile loops. Most of the team entered as relay pairs, but Hannah Bennett chose to brave it and enter as a solo runner.

The Dacorum & Tring Road Runners were on top form at The Pednor 10

First club members over the finish line were the duo of Chris Kitchener and Russell Morris in 1:08:38, closely followed by Kelly Du Buissson and Samantha Fawcett in 1:09:52.

These times were good enough for D&T to take both the male and female relay first place trophies.

Next past the post and overall third-placed female team were Samantha Sullivan and Rebecca Fawcett in a swift 1:17:52.

Jules Robinson and Richard Stevens finished as second-placed mixed team in 1:21;41, followed by Rob Deane and Casper Du Buisson in 1:24:07, Claire Copperwhite and Alison Richardson in 1:26:08, Clare Hunt and Michelle Ashwell in 1:27:28, Kirsty Russell and Jessica Tanner, Kerry Ardley and Samantha Hawkridge in 1:28:26, and Charlotte Ashton and Alexis Bunce in 1:33:49.

Dacorum & Tring runners were out in force at various parkruns

Hannah Bennett ran an impressive time of 1:21 in her first ever attempt at the 10-mile distance to finish as seventh senior lady, while Casper Du Buisson (41.27) and Alexis Bunce (52.22) also achieved new 5-mile PBs.

Representing the green and purple further afield, Niamh Dempsey finished a brilliant ninth lady overall at the hilly Greencastle Boxing Day 5-mile road race on a wet, cold and foggy day in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

She finished in a speedy 34.02 – a superb time on a hilly course, with some impressive splits, and placed 119th out of well over 1,000 finishers.

Elsewhere, 20 D&T runners attended various parkruns on Christmas day.

The PB chasers were out in force at Cassiobury, and the team was led home by Sam Fawcett, who crossed the line 14th overall and first lady in a huge new PB of 19.19 - breaking her own club record for her age group by nearly 30 seconds.

Not to be outdone, sister Becky also scored a new PB of 21.08, finishing as third lady, with Thomas Ashton just behind, finishing as second JM11-14 in 21.30 and Michael Irvine got a nice new Christmas PB of 21.45.

Alison Richardson ran a speedy 23.02 in her first outing at Cassiobury and first parkrun in months after recovering from a knee injury.

Kirsty Russell was delighted to outdo her previous PB by more than a minute, finishing in 25.00 (although her watch said 24.59), with coach Rob Deane waving the whip behind her to cross in 25.01 and Chris Kitchener taking it easy to finish in 25.28.

Charlotte Ashton also got a nice new Cassiobury PB of 25.52, with Michelle Ashwell running right beside her and crossing only 12 seconds off her PB in 25.53.

Chris’s son Elliot cruised along to finish in 26.24, and Rob Wright equalled his parkrun PB in his first time at Cassiobury with a fabulous time of 26.45 – a fine return after months of injury.

Christmas elves Emma Donovan and Tim Churchill got into the spirit, running together to finish in 27.30 – a big new PB for Emma. Alexis Bunce was ever so close to bursting through the 30-minute mark but still got a smashing new PB of 30.01, while Annette Howard and her friend Amanda ran round in Santa suits to finish in 33.27

Over in Tring, Matt Salt was eighth overall, and second SM20-24 in 21.22, with Sam Burnell finishing in 23.32 for second JM11-14. Matt’s dad Rob finished in 25.38 and Kelly and Casper Du Buisson loped along to finish together in 38.53.

Kate Crossland ran the Wimbledon parkrun and scored a superb new PB of 23.43, giving her third place in the very competitive SW30-34 age group.

With Boxing Day falling nicely on a Saturday it meant two parkruns in two days, and D&T roadrunners made the most of the opportunity to get running,

The club had a strong team out at the Gadebridge parkrun, with 12 purple runners and seven volunteers.

First across the line for the club was young Freddie Truman-Williams, who was third overall and first JM11-14 in 21.21.

Richard Bentley showed he’s still on form with an 11th place finish in 23.26 (2nd VM50-54), while Michael Irvine finished 16th in 24.45 (second VM45-49), his second PB in two days after scoring a huge parkrun PB in Cassiobury in Christmas Day.

Next was Michael Lamb in 25.38, and he was followed by Luke Burford in 26.37 (third JM11-15), Phil Pugh in 27.06 (third VM55-59), Andy Mitchell in 27.17, Jessica Tanner in 28.10 (first SM25-39), Richard Stevens in 29.14, Denise Burford in 30.33 (third VF40-44), Calypso Phillips in 31.23 (first JW15-17) and John Cooper in 32.05 (first VM65-69).

The club’s volunteers for the week were Kirsty Russell, John Jales, Karen Wishart, Keith Wishart, Tony Reeves, David Stears and Meg Brooks.

Meanwhile, D&T’s U17 athletes put on a great show in St Albans: Joshua van Heiningen was fourth overall in 17.52) first JM15-17) with Rhys Rowlands just behind in sixth (18.23; second JM15-17).

Rebecca White was put through her paces by team-mate Chris Kitchener, and she scored a huge new PB of 27.18, with Chris seeing her across the line in 27.19. Next was super-runner Annette Howard who finished in 28.23.

Richard Brawn held up the side in Cassiobury, running a fast 20.03 for 13th overall, not far off his PB set last week on the same course.

Over in Tring, JM11-14 runners Jamie Bailey and Sam Burnell finished one second apart, in 24.14 and 24.15 respectively, finishing in 14th and 15th position, fast enough for third and fourth in their age group.

New club member Dan Rollings finished in 28.06 (third SM30-34) in his first event with D&T, and Jamie’s mum and dad, Kate and Phil, were next in 28.11 (second VF40-44) and 32.23 respectively.

Louise Flower and Jan Briggs tracked up to Hertford to run the Panshanger parkrun; Louise was 13th lady in a time of 27.06 while Jan took it easy, cruising in in 48.58.

Also in parkrun action were Anya Higgins, who posted her second-best time, 28.33, over the Ormeau course in Belfast; and Erica Klein, who cruised along in her home parkrun at Hereford to finish in 29.24.